G1000 upgrade prepares King Airs for NextGen

March 7, 2014

ByAOPA ePublishing staff

Garmin has announced a software upgrade making new features and options available to operators of G1000-equipped King Airs in the 200/250/300/350 series.

The upgrade, available free except for possible installation charges to current owners and operators, includes NextGen components and capabilities requested by customers such as the capability to create user-defined holing patterns—simplifying the process of defining unpublished holds and depicting them on the multifunction display.

Other operational features now available "to ensure aircraft are prepared for NextGen" include barometric vertical navigation (Baro-VNAV) approach capability; FAA Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out compliance; and required navigation performance (RNP) including capability to fly procedures with radius-to-fix (RF) segments, said Garmin

The system can also generate three kinds of search patterns for aircraft used in search-and-rescue operations.

Other options include the GRS 7800 attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), a GTS 8000 traffic system, and GTX 3000 transponder “which also meets the standards for ADS-B Out compliance,” Garmin said.

"Our G1000 retrofit program for the King Air product line has received exceptional response, and Garmin will continue to provide King Air operators with the best technology available," said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing

Operators of eligible aircraft should contact a Garmin Authorized Dealer for pricing information.